Steady-rest centering gauge



Nov. 17, 1953 R. POST 2,659,156

STEADY-REST CENTERING GAUGE Filed March 4, 1950 $54,; Roberl Post Mimi:

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED OFFICE 2,659,156 STEADY-RESTCENTERING GAUGE 2 Claims.

This invention is directed generally to a gauge adapted for use inconnection with a machine lathe.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel gauge usefulto aid in setting the lower work supporting jaws of a steady-rest tocorrect position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steady-rest centeringgauge which is adapted to detachably mount on the lathe tailstock; thedevice including a taper shank for engagement in the tailstock boreafter removal of the usual centering pin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steady-rest centeringgauge which is convenient to use, and capable of ready mounting inconnection with or detachment from the tailstock of a lathe.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a steady-restcentering gauge which comprises, essentially, a longitudinallyadjustable gauge finger and a mounting therefor which supports the gaugefinger exactly radially of the center line of the lathe in thetransverse plane of the jaws of the steady-rest; said jaws then beingset to position by the gauge finger, after the latter is adjusted toproject from said center line the same distance as the radius of thework.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a steady-restcentering gauge which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliablesteady-rest centering gauge, and one which will be exceedingly effectivefor the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device, detached.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the device, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a lathe steady-rest in open position, theview looking toward the tailstock, and showing the device as in use.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the novel,

steady-rest centering gauge comprises a taper shank I whose taper issuch that it is adapted to engage in the bore of a lathe tailstock 2after removal of the usual centering pin.

The taper shank I is formed with a straight axial bore 3 which opens tothe front end of said shank, and a spindle 4 is turnably mounted in, andprojects from said bore to a termination ahead of the front end of theshank I.

The spindle 4 is maintained in the bore 3 in rotatable relation, and forlimited axial sliding motion, by means of a stop screw 5 threadedradially through the shank I and projecting at the inner end into areduced diameter or grooved portion 6 of the spindle 4 within the bore3.

Immediately eXteriorly of the front end of the taper shank I the spindle4 is formed with an enlarged, knurled finger grip 1.

Ahead of the finger grip I, the front end portion 8 of the spindle iscut away or formed to half-round in cross section. The fiat of suchhalf-round portion is formed, closely adjacent the front end of thespindle 4, with a transverse groove 9, and a radial finger gauge I0seats flush in said groove for sliding adjustment. The radial fingergauge I0 is scaled, as at II, and is normally held in fixed position bya locking plate I 2 secured to the fiat of the front end portion of thespindle by a screw I3; said locking plate bearing on top of the gaugefinger II).

At one end the gauge finger I0 is formed with a forwardly extendingprojection I4, which at its forward end has a lateral feeler tip Ma.

As the flat of the forward portion 8 of the spindle I0 intersects thelongitudinal center line of the device, the gauge finger II], on itsscaled side, is exactly radial of said line, as is requisite to theaccomplishment of accurate adjustment of the steady-rest jaws. Thescaling II on the finger reads from the outer edge of tip I ia; the flatface of the spindle portion 8 having a central indicating mark M, whichmark is thus on the axis of rotation of the device.

The above described device is used in the following manner:

The numeral I 5 indicates generally the steadyrest supported on the waysI6 of a lathe between the headstock (not shown) and the tailstock 2. Thesteady-rest I 5 includes a pair of transversely spaced lower jaws I!normally but releasably secured in place by lock screws I8; said jawsbeing adjustable by screws I9 when the screws I8 are released.Additionally, the steady-rest includes a similarly adjustable top jaw 20carried in a top yoke 2| which is swingable from a closed position to anopen position; the latter position being shown in Fig. 3. A latch 22 isreleased to permit the top yoke 2| to be opened.

With the top yoke 2| in its open position, the taper shank I is engagedin the centering pin bore of the tailstock 2; the radial gauge fingerIil having previously been set by the scale H to project from thelongitudinal center line a distance exactly equal to the known radius ofthe work to be supported in the steady-rest l5.

Thereafter, the spindle 4 is rotated by the finger grip I until the tip14a of the radial gauge finger l0 projects directly toward one of thelower jaws H; the latter then being adjusted until it abuts said tip.The same procedure is repeated for theother lowenjaw 1.7, wherebybothare then set a predetermined and exactly 'equal distance from thelongitudinal center line of the lathe.

After the lower jaws I! are set, the work is placed in the lathe, thetop yoke 21 is-closed-and latched, and the top jaw 20 is then adjustedto position.

The spindle 4 is mounted, in thetaperrshank 41., for limitedlongitudinal sliding motion in order to facilitate use of the device. Inother words, the tailstock 2 can be run up generally the correct,distance from the steady-rest $5, and then "the vspindle A :may beadjusted :lengthwise =to ztheiextent necessary -.to re dially aline thegauge .finger to .with the lower jaw 1 .7 which is to 5118 adjusted.

The :described steady rest centering gauge :is designed for ease andeconomy of manufacture, ,as welLas-practicaland convenient use.

From the foregoing description it will ,be readily seen that ,there hasabeen ,produced such ardevice ,as substantially fulfills thepbjectsofthe :inventionras set forthherein.

While this specificationlsets forth in detail the ,presentand preferredconstruction of ltherdevice, ,still ,practicesuch deviations from ;such{detail ,may be resorted to as do notiorm a departure mounted and fromwhich the spindle projects in a forward direction, the spindle ahead ofthe shank having a flat face disposed diametrally of the axis of thespindle and shank, and said fiat face having a transverse groove, and aradially extending gauge finger slidable in the groove with one faceflush and radial with said flat face and at one end having a tip toengage a steady-rest jaw; said face of the gauge finger being calibratedin terms of its radial lengthffromssaid tipzas a zero point to the axis'of the spimile Wherebyto measure the radial distance of the jaw fromthe axial line of the spindle.

'2. 1A centering gauge for the jaws of a lathe steady-rest comprising ataper shank to fit in the "lathetailstock, a spindle separate andprojecting ,fromitheinriward end of the shank, a jaw-engaging elementmounted on the outer end of the spindle, and means mounting the spindlein the shank for free rotation and free but limited :movement in:dinection wheneby to allow ef-quick advance hamizretraction.o'ftherelement at!) and from a gauging position without movement 'cfthe shank and itails'tock.

BOBEREI :PQSIE.

References Cited .in ,the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 603,782 Brown May 10, .1898 1,265,423 "Burnett :May "7,1918 1,297,729 Picard Mar. :18, 1919 1,44450-80 Nyman "Fens, I9232246,1288 Clemen'tz .Juneii1!7, T1941 "2,346,192 :Shwar'tz Apr. lil,1944 2393332 Aulbin Jan. 3, 11960 EQREIGN PATENTS Number :Country :Date

$43,642 Germany, iMay 3,192.7 2576,4236 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1946

